PSL spot-fixing row: PCB suspends Shahzaib Hasan

Karachi [Pakistan], Mar. 17 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday provisionally suspended Shahzaib Hasan amid ongoing investigations into alleged corruption in the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Shahzaib has become the fifth Pakistan player to be suspended by the PCB, following Mohammad Irfan, discarded opener Nasir Jamshed, batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif. "The Pakistan Cricket Board has today issued Shahzaib Hasan a Notice of Charge and provisionally suspended him with immediate effect from participating in all forms of cricket," the PCB said in a press note. "Shahzaib has been charged with violations of Code Articles 2.1.4, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5 and now has 14 days to respond to the Notice of Charge," the PCB stated. As per ESPNcricinfo, Shahzaib underwent two days of investigation in which he was questioned about his terms with already suspended Sharjeel and Khalid and was asked the reason of delay in reporting the details of corrupt approach. Shahzaib last played for Pakistan six years back and the only highlight of his brief international career was featuring in the World T20 squad in 2009. Meanwhile, Irfan, Nasir Sharjeel and Khalid have been summoned by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to record their statements on March 20 and 21. Irfan and Jamshed will be recording their statements before the FIA's investigators on March 20 while batsmen Sharjeel and Khalid have been asked to appear before FIA on March 21. Irfan, who was on Tuesday suspended and charge-sheeted over his alleged connections with bookies, has been given 14 days by the PCB to submit his reply. Earlier, on March 6, a three-member tribunal was formed by the PCB to investigate the spot-fixing case allegedly involving Sharjeel and Khalid. The duo was suspended by the PCB under its Anti-Corruption Code, as part of an ongoing investigation into an international syndicate which was believed to corrupt the second edition of the PSL. The British Police have arrested three suspects in connection with the case including Nasir, who was released on bail. (ANI)